Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I echo the words of all Senators who have spoken against the rush to bring the Water Services Bill 2014 to this House. The Seanad was retained as an independent House and I deeply regret the words of the Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar, and various other people.

I also will not be intimidated by the group e-mails I am receiving that seek to force my decision-making one way or another. I will make up my mind in due course and will have more to say about that during the debate on the Water Services Bill.
Last week, I called for an urgent debate on rent controls. This morning, Threshold also called for the introduction of rent controls. Fr. McVerry has also called for rent controls. I cannot understand why nothing is being done about this issue. I am last the person to want the micro-economy to be interfered with by any Government but, unfortunately, because there has been no property development in this country of any worth over the past eight years there is a shortage of property. Reference is made in this morning's edition of The Irish Times and Irish Independentto the shortage of property in this country. Whether we like it or not - I said this the other day - the animal instincts of capitalism will kick in very quickly as people try to cash in on the shortage of housing. I intend to propose an amendment to the Order of Business tomorrow morning to ensure a debate is held on rent controls. For me, this issue is more urgent right now than the water issue.